The Rollup
Podcast

The Rollup

by Face-to-face with the most important people in digital assets.

242 episodes

Face-to-face with the most important people in digital assets. Explore: https://therollup.co/
Ask about The RollupAnswers are grounded in this source's posts from the last 30 days.

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242 posts
Why Every Fintech Is Racing To Launch Stablecoins with Rodri Fernandez

The rapid adoption of stablecoins by traditional finance for payments and remittances presents a significant investment opportunity. Consider Polygon (MATIC) as a direct play on this trend, as it has become a leading blockchain for enterprise-grade transactions. MoneyGram (MGI) is another key company to watch, as its transformation into a "stablecoin first" business could drive significant growth and market share gains. Investors should also seek exposure to the "picks and shovels" of this ecosystem, specifically companies building crypto payments infrastructure. The high valuations in this space, such as the potential $2 billion acquisition of BVNK, signal strong market conviction in this sector's future.

Rollup TV: Aria Protocol, Money Moves Fast EP 8, Crossmint

Consider the APL token for stable income from a portfolio of music royalties, which has been trading steadily around $0.90. The investment provides a yield as daily streaming revenue from artists like Justin Bieber and Blackpink is used to buy back APL tokens from the market. A major investment theme is the "stablecoin super cycle," where traditional finance adopts crypto for payments. Investors can gain exposure to this trend through infrastructure plays like Polygon (MATIC), which is enabling high-volume enterprise transactions. Finally, Chainlink (LINK) is presented as a core 'blue-chip' holding due to its foundational technology and long-standing leadership in the crypto space.

The AI Rotation Is On (And What's Coming Next) - Good Brothers

The convergence of AI and Crypto is presented as the next major investment narrative, focusing on decentralized AI infrastructure and coordination. Two new high-risk protocols, Ambient and PostFiat, are the highest conviction opportunities, with key network launches expected within the next few weeks. Ambient is an AI infrastructure play aiming to be a proof-of-work fork of Solana, with its testnet launching in two weeks for miners to join. PostFiat, a fork of XRP, is building an AI-powered "hive mind" for retail investors and is expected to launch its "Task Node" shortly. In contrast, the analysis is bearish on Solana (SOL) due to its unsustainable economics and extremely bearish on WorldCoin (WLD) for its centralized vision.

How x402 Is Unlocking the Machine Payment Economy with Erik Reppel

A major investment opportunity is emerging from the convergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Crypto, which will power a new machine-to-machine payment economy. NEAR Protocol (NEAR) is a high-conviction

Rollup TV: AI Supercycle EP 8, OverHerd, Offchain Labs

The intersection of AI and Crypto presents a major long-term investment theme, with NEAR Protocol (NEAR) emerging as a primary candidate due to its focus on machine-to-machine payments. For investors preferring traditional stocks, Coinbase (COIN) offers equity exposure to this trend as it builds foundational infrastructure like the X402 standard. Separately, Arbitrum (ARB) is a high-conviction leader in DeFi and Real World Assets (RWAs), demonstrated by its accelerating transaction growth and partnerships with firms like BlackRock. The platform's Stylus upgrade is a key catalyst, making it easier for traditional developers to build on-chain. Consider these assets for exposure to the next wave of crypto innovation.

What Went Right With Crypto AI (And What's Coming Next) With Alexander Good and Travis Good

A key opportunity is the new protocol Ambient, a Proof of Work AI network forking Solana, with its testnet launching in two weeks. Another high-conviction project to watch is PostFiat, an AI-enabled "hive mind" for retail investors built as a fork of XRP. In traditional markets, Palantir (PLTR) is highlighted as a strong investment, with its business reportedly growing at 48% annually and serving as a model for applied AI. These opportunities are driven by the core investment theme that Proof of Work is AI, suggesting a shift in value from traditional crypto mining to AI computation. Investors bullish on the Crypto AI narrative should monitor Ambient's testnet launch and PostFiat's dApp development as key milestones.

How Western Union Secured $15B in Assets on Solana with Stepan Simkin and Garrett Harper

Solana (SOL) is positioned for significant growth as major institutions like Western Union adopt its high-performance blockchain for payments and stablecoins. For a lower-risk opportunity, consider holding a portion of your cash in a stablecoin like USDC to potentially earn yields of 4-5%, which is significantly higher than traditional savings accounts. Holding stablecoins on-chain also serves as "dry powder," allowing for faster and more efficient investment into other digital assets. For Bitcoin (BTC) holders, wrapping it into CBTC on the Solana network can unlock new opportunities to earn yield on an otherwise passive asset. Watch for new CBTC-focused financial products expected to launch in the coming weeks, which could simplify this process.

Rollup TV: Stabled Up EP8, Theo Network, Hyperliquid, Starknet, Sui Group Holdings

Consider Hyperliquid (HYPE) as a key investment, with its treasury planning a significant $300 million token purchase on the open market after its deal closes in November. For equity investors, Cantor Fitzgerald has issued a bull case price target of $49 for SuiG, a publicly traded company offering exposure to the Sui ecosystem. The underlying SUI token benefits from a powerful buyback mechanism, where 90% of revenue from new native stablecoins will be used to purchase SUI from the market. The long-term adoption of Solana (SOL) is being validated by major financial players like Western Union, positioning it as a foundational layer for stablecoin payments. Finally, Bitcoin holders can earn yield by staking wrapped Bitcoin on StarkNet to receive rewards in STRK tokens, gaining exposure to the growing Bitcoin Fi ecosystem.

How Zcash Is Solving Bitcoin's Biggest Problem with Josh Swihart

Consider Zcash (ZEC) as a high-conviction investment, positioned as a private version of Bitcoin with the same fixed supply. Recent adoption is surging, evidenced by "hockey stick growth" in its shielded pool and over $100 million flowing in via its NEAR Protocol integration. The new Zashi Wallet has made it significantly easier for average users to access its privacy features, removing a major barrier to entry. A major scalability upgrade, Project Tachyon, is expected within the next 12 months to support billions of users. This positions ZEC as a potential "freedom coin" for those concerned with the financial surveillance risks of transparent blockchains.

Rollup TV: Megaeth, AI Supercycle EP8 Zcash, Vechain, FOMC Special by Kalshi and Framework

Consider investing in the Stablecoin Supercycle theme through infrastructure projects like Syrup (SYRUP), Sky (SKY), and Athena (ENA), which generate sustainable yield from real-world business activity. Zcash (ZEC) offers a compelling investment in the on-chain privacy narrative, which is expected to grow alongside the AI Supercycle. A key catalyst for ZEC is its integration with NEAR Protocol, and investors should monitor the growth of its shielded pool as a sign of genuine adoption. For exposure to real-world enterprise adoption, VeChain (VET) is a strong candidate focused on supply chain and sustainability. VET is supported by high-profile partnerships with the UFC and Walmart and has an upcoming mainnet upgrade that could drive further growth.

Rachel from Circle: Why Stablecoin-as-Gas Changes Everything

Major financial institutions like BlackRock, Goldman Sachs, and Mastercard are actively exploring Circle's new ARK blockchain, signaling a significant acceleration in real-world asset tokenization. Monitor the adoption of the ARK blockchain, as its use of USDC for transaction fees is a key innovation designed to attract large corporations by removing the volatility of traditional gas tokens. A major long-term opportunity is the $8 trillion/day Foreign Exchange (FX) market moving on-chain; investors should watch for the launch of high-quality non-dollar stablecoins as a primary catalyst. The growing need for on-chain financial privacy for both institutions and individuals creates a strong tailwind for established privacy-focused projects like Zcash (ZEC). Consider investing in infrastructure plays that enable these themes, particularly protocols built on efficient platforms like ARK that are designed for institutional use cases.

Rollup TV: Arc, Circle, Dango Exchange and LEGION

Monitor the upcoming Layer 1 blockchain Dango ahead of its planned mid-2025 launch, as its testnet may offer a path to a large community airdrop. Keep a close watch on YieldBasis, a project for BTC yield from a Curve co-founder, as its massively oversubscribed initial sale signals strong potential upon its public listing. These projects highlight the return of ICOs, so investors should look for early-stage deals on reputable launchpads like Legion. For long-term infrastructure, track the adoption of Circle's ARK blockchain, which is backed by firms like BlackRock and aims to dominate the on-chain FX market. Lastly, gain public market exposure to the tokenization theme by watching Securitize as it prepares to go public via a SPAC with Cantor Fitzgerald.

Why Every Major App Will Issue Their Own Stablecoin with Luca Prosperi from M0

The stablecoin market is projected to grow 100x, creating a primary investment opportunity in the infrastructure that will connect thousands of future application-specific digital dollars. The highest conviction investment is M0 (MZERO), a protocol designed to be the core plumbing for this new financial system by allowing any application to launch its own stablecoin. M0's recent partnership to deploy the MetaMask Dollar for its millions of users is a powerful validation of its strategy. This influx of stablecoins is also a major catalyst for the DeFi sector, particularly benefiting next-generation lending protocols like Morpho. Investors should monitor other large platforms, such as the derivatives exchange Hyperliquid, as they are likely candidates to launch their own stablecoins next.

The Stablecoin Supercycle Is Here and Banks Are About To Join with Tony McLaughlin

The massive growth of stablecoins is creating a primary investment opportunity in the underlying infrastructure that supports them, not in holding the stablecoins themselves. Investors should focus on established public blockchains, which are attracting real-world users and liquidity, as private chains have historically failed to gain adoption. Consider Polygon (MATIC) as a key player, which has already validated its network by processing over $500 million in tokenized financial products. Look for long-term growth in publicly traded banks and fintechs that are strategically integrating crypto wallets and stablecoin services. A major catalyst for the entire digital asset sector would be any regulatory guidance allowing banks to process stablecoins like traditional checks.

Why DAT Mania Is Dead And What Comes Next With Haseeb Qureshi

For safer crypto exposure, focus on Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH) as they are the primary assets attracting institutional investment and are holding up best in the current market. The broader altcoin market is currently undervalued due to a lack of retail interest, which may present a buying opportunity for patient investors as fundamentals remain strong. A significant bullish catalyst to watch for is a potential ETF filing from BlackRock for any crypto asset, which would be far more impactful than other issuers. Keep an eye on the upcoming token launches for highly anticipated projects MegaEth and Monad over the next 3-6 months, as their launch in a down market could offer a better entry valuation. Investors can also gain exposure to the growing prediction markets theme through publicly traded companies like DraftKings (DKNG) and Robinhood (HOOD).

Rollup TV: Trezor and Haseeb from Dragonfly

The recent Robinhood listing of Hyperliquid (HYPE) presents a significant retail-driven growth opportunity, making it a top conviction investment. For more stable crypto exposure, consider Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH), as they are showing relative strength due to strong institutional demand. Investors interested in digital asset treasuries should focus on established leaders like MicroStrategy (MSTR), while being mindful of the risk that its price premium could shrink over time. Keep upcoming infrastructure projects MegaEth and Monad on your watchlist, as their launch in a down market may provide a favorable entry point. It is critical to avoid high-risk projects with major red flags, such as Meteora, which is facing significant legal and reputational issues.

Why Jupiter Is Launching Its Own Stablecoin with Kash Dhanda

Consider staking the JUP token to receive airdrops from new projects, such as the upcoming Meteora (MET) airdrop, and to gain access to a new ICO platform launching in November. For investors seeking high yield, the JLP token offers a compelling 15-45% APY generated from trading fees and other sources. The value of JUP is also supported by a continuous buyback program, where 50% of all protocol revenue is used to purchase JUP on the open market. The upcoming launch of the JupeUSD stablecoin in Q4 is a major catalyst expected to boost revenue for the buyback program. This makes holding and staking JUP a primary way to gain exposure to the entire Jupiter ecosystem's growth.

Rollup TV: Inversion, GEODNET, Stabled Up EP 6, Galaxy Ventures

Consider staking Jupiter (JUP) on the Solana network to capture value from the upcoming Meteora (MET) airdrop and a new ICO platform launching in November. For a fundamentals-driven investment, research GEODNET (GEOD), a DePIN project with over 200% year-over-year revenue growth that is disrupting its $18 billion competitor. Maintain a core position in Bitcoin (BTC), as strong institutional inflows through ETFs like BlackRock's IBIT provide sustained buying pressure for long-term growth. For traditional equity investors, Galaxy Digital (GLXY.TO) offers a publicly traded "picks and shovels" play on the crypto industry following its record-breaking quarter. These opportunities represent high-conviction themes driven by strong catalysts and fundamental growth.

Why Trump's Money Printer Changes Everything with Scott Melker

The government's strategy to inflate away its debt is creating a powerful debasement trade, pushing investors toward scarce assets. Consider holding Bitcoin (BTC) as a core long-term asset to protect against this trend, as it is expected to continue outperforming Gold. A major upcoming catalyst for BTC is its integration into traditional brokerage accounts, which should reduce selling pressure and increase demand. For exposure to the emerging Institutional DeFi theme, consider Aave (AAVE), a blue-chip protocol positioned to become essential infrastructure for Wall Street. While Gold also benefits from this macro environment, it is currently considered overbought and a price correction should be expected.

Rollup TV: Fed Payments Innovation, YQ on Black Friday, Virtuals, Daylight, and Synthetix Trading Competition

With speculative leverage flushed out of the system, consider holding Bitcoin (BTC) as it shows strong signs of recovery, with some analysts seeing potential for $150,000 or higher by year-end. For equity exposure to the crypto ecosystem, look at Coinbase (COIN) due to its strategic and profitable role as the primary custodian for all spot Bitcoin ETFs. In the DeFi space, consider Aave (AAVE) for its recent partnership that brings institutional-grade Real-World Asset (RWA) yields on-chain. Keep an eye on Synthetix (SNX), as its upcoming platform relaunch on Ethereum could be a major turnaround catalyst if it gains strong user adoption. Be cautious with most other altcoins, as they are expected to lag the market leaders' recovery.